HAYWARD -- The third-seeded Mt. Eden High boys basketball team punched its ticket to the North Coast Section Division II semifinals, and the CIF Northern California playoffs, with a 57-47 win over No. 6 San Lorenzo on Friday night.

"We've been looking forward to these (NCS) playoffs," said Mt. Eden sharp-shooter Noel Briones, who scored a game-high 24 points and made five 3-pointers. "We've been looking forward to it since we lost in the second round to Newark (Memorial) last year."

This is Mt. Eden's first trip to the NorCal playoffs since 1997 -- when it won the Division II section crown.

"We really wanted this game. Really, really wanted it," Briones said.

The Monarchs (19-9) will play at No. 2 Dublin (23-5) on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

But it was on the defensive end that proved to be the difference for the Monarchs, who atoned for a 55-36 loss to San Lorenzo on Feb. 13.

The Rebels (16-12), who were paced by Ali Faruqbey's 23 points, were held to 11 points in the first quarter and a mere six in the second. They had trouble breaking through Mt. Eden's man-to-man defense in the second. That led to a 27-17 halftime lead for Mt. Eden.

"Coach (Aaron O'Brien) said defense is the key and we can't win this game without defense," Briones said.

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San Lorenzo rallied in the third quarter with 19 points and closed to within three points in the fourth quarter, but Briones hit a 3-pointer that gave Mt. Eden a 51-45 lead with 2:15 left in the game.